First of thanks for all the kind comments on my initial report. Now that I actually have the car - and what a great feeling that is - I want to share with you my first impressions. It would be pre-mature to give a full driving report, instead I need to digest the whole experience a bit more first before I sit down and put it in writing so bare with me. But in the meantime some pictures and my first impressions.

Factory tour & Collection:

Well it was a short night as you can imagine. So Friday morning, a bright sunny day, my dad and I make the trip down to Zuffenhausen for what I hoped to be a great and memorable day. On the train my dad and I recollected our first trip in the early 80s together and the times he collected his first Porsche in 1971!! Times have certainly changed at Porsche we found out.

With simple instructions in hand we boarded the train for Stuttgart. Be there by 10:30 for the factory tour the short letter said. First sight that greeted us at the gate was a red GT3 in the visitor lot. Hmm I briefly though about the color after seeing one in EVO but admittedly the color is not for me.

NO PICTURES on the tour are the clear instructions which is a bummer given that we saw some great cars, particular several GT3s and RSs in the production line. Surprise to note that Cup cars are build on the same line. The tour guide did a good job but perhaps catered to the uninformed to much. When you see the production you can see why the make such a high margin because it takes the same time to build the convertible, Turbo and RS. ~60 hours or 150 cars a day. They kicked us out of the production area where they add the engine as they had a couple of cars on the assembly line which they did not want us to see. Too bad really.

The tour lasted about 90 minutes and which was followed by a nice lunch. Not a surprise we did not really take the time to enjoy lunch as we wanted to rush down to the collection of the car.

Now this was the 30 minutes I have been waiting for quite some time. I was excited to say the least and wanted to appear collected. What followed was a mixed experience I am disappointed to say. To get the disappoint on record first so we can focus on the good stuff. The guy doing the handover was so underwhelming and miss informed I thought I was getting a car from Hyundai. He has asked if I had owned a Porsche before so I said no. And so he though that he had a complete Porsche [beep] in front of him. HELLO I am picking up a GT3!! He might know how to explain you the PCM but had no clue on the special features of the GT3. Actually he admitted to me that he had not had his training on the car yet (although he already delivered a few)!!! I spend all this time waiting for my car and they send me a guy who read half a book and new nothing. He kept saying "how do you know this". For example he told me that the front of the cage was being shipped to the dealer. When I told him that was not the case and different than for the 996 model he told me to check my dealer. In response I told him that I am at the factory and that I expect that he know this stuff!! Porsche don't squeeze the last penny out off client facing staff as they are your human face. This guy had none of the passion I expected! Hell my dealer and I would have had so much fun going through the car in detail and this guy ruined it...

BUT lets focus on the POSITIVE as there is enough to fill a book!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who have not had the privilege of picking up a car at the factory they park all the cars that are collected in a large garage (25 a day on average) where the light is really nice and your shiny new car is waiting for you. Now I am not sure what best describes the feeling of coming around the corner and seeing YOUR car waiting for you to drive it home! Hallelujah it looked stunning!! As you know I had moments of doubt what the right color was for me. At the end I went with Black Metallic - and let me tell you it looked perfect. The two white GT3 standing on the other side waiting for their owners did not even get a second look. I was fixed on my baby! Perfect - all that talk on whether black shows all the detailing - well in my book it does and more. I had the chance to see a couple of black RS on the tour which look really aggressive - but the standard GT3 in black looks perfect. Sorry I know I am repeating myself here...

That first walk around the car, the first touch, you know what I mean. Awesome!! They give you this great picture standing with you in front of your car. My smile is the full width...

Opening the door the first time. I had my doubts how the alcantara/leather combination would look. Aggressive and very fitting for a track orientated car. For all of you who are hesitant on getting the extra leather pack just do it and also the middle console because it completes the total look. As I have stated before I tried to avoid nomex cover for the seats. Honestly would have preferred the leather/alcantara version but it was a no go with the ClubSport package. I am sure a comfort version of the GT3 will look really good but having a cage in the car just makes it that bit more aggressive, that bit more focus. Every time I look in the rear view mirror I see the cross bars and reminds you where you sit... Speaking of sitting. Given that I have the CS package I also have the buckets. I am 188 cm (6'2'') tall and have wide shoulders and have to say the seats are a perfect fit overall but perhaps a bit tight at the top. Not much different from the 996 GT3 though. But you really have the sensation of sitting low in the car and you really have to guess the dimensions of the car in front. Race car feeling is all I can say...just awesome!! The only thing I would have changed was getting a bit more carbon parts in the car as it would increase the race car feeling even more and fit well. The side sills look really cheap so they will come out soon and replaced with Carbon. Now my dealer has to install the harnesses and perhaps the fire extinguisher - not sure on that yet thought.

There I was sitting in the car. The last thing I needed to do was...



HEAR THE VOICE OF THE ENGINE - all 415 horses of it. Thanks to the US you need to press the clutch and break to start the engine. But first you insert the key on the left hand side of the dash - nice... And then you turn it and my baby came to full life. The engine spikes up and then settles at a nice sound not sure if I would say it is loud but you notice it and the car has a welcoming vibration reminding you that this car means business. You blip the throttle and the engine sounds up - yet unless you are moving you are getting short change on the full sound potential. Although the car is still being run in and the best is still to come once you cross the 4,000 RPM where a little valve opens and it is a whole new ball game which promises to get only better as you move up the RPM scale.

As stated at the beginning. I will hold back on my driving impressions until I have the full experience of releasing all 8,400 RPMs and some fun roads to try the different facets the car offers.

So watch this space...